where the two cultures meet

Pitchers and Crappers

Three species of pitcher plant, Nepenthes lowii, N. rajah and N. macrophylla, all produce modified leaves which serve as tree shrew toilets They capture nutrients from animal faeces in mountain habitats where insects (the diet of most pitcher plants) are scarce.

drawing by C. Thorogood, Oxford – New Phytologist website.

Meanwhile, in Chelsea, a plumber named Thomas Crapper designed a classic wc structure.

His King’s Road shop is in the opening sequence of Joseph Losey’s 1963 film, The Servant.